Implements the many programs and activities that Rotarians undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill, and peace.
International Club Projects
Along with our Sister club in Monterrey Mexico, we assisted in three projects. We are assisting a local Dental & Health Clinic provide dental and medical to poor people in that community with funds from a matching grant. A recent Matching Grant provided dental equipment to the Clinica Teresita. A new Matching Grant will provide X-Ray equipment for the clinic. Our club also assisted in acquiring a used school bus that is sponsored by the Monterey Club. We are now working with the Monterrey Obispado Club to obtain 6 ambulances for three communities near Monterrey. We have repaired the six ambulances and they are ready to cross the border.
We continue to work along with 5 area Rotary clubs to assist the City of Angels Orphanage in Matamoros, Mexico. This orphanage provides services to the youth of their community that need it most.
The club offers support to Hands to Honduras. This organization is run by P.I. Rotary Club Past President, Tom Plumb. Hands to Honduras offers support and services to several areas of Honduras with projects such as school construction, and water filtration. Port Isabel Rotary Club is proud to support Hands to Honduras and assist with fundraising efforts.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE Robert Rodriguez, Chair
Monterrey, Mexico
In 1958, our club began a sister club relationship with the Monterrey Obispado Club. That partnership has continued for 51 years
2009 results
Monterrey visit to Port Isabel:
About 40 Rotarians, family, and friends from Monterrey spent a weekend visiting Port Isabel. Ebbie Ahadi, Marcello’s Restaurant, catered a dinner at the First National Bank on Friday night and one at Paradise Cove on Saturday night.
Port Isabel visit to Monterrey:
23 Port Isabel Rotarians (including DG Dennis Roberts), spouses and friends visited Monterrey. Friday afternoon the usual golf outing was held while others went shopping, went to the RiverWalk, and/or visited the glass museum. Dinner that night was at the golf course. Saturday we saw the amazing growth of the Clinica Teresita which we have supported for a number of years. Our latest joint project…a dental facility…was in full operation. This coming year we hope to assist with the purchase of new X-Ray equipment. During the afternoon we visited a beautiful ranch and had lunch there. Saturday night we had a great dinner at a former Rotarians home—complete with karaoke.
Monterrey Matching Grant:
We have been awarded a matching grant from the Rotary Foundation totaling $60,950.00 to purchase new X-Ray equipment. We provided $4,000.00 towards the grant and our District is providing $6,000.00.
Ambulances:
The First National Bank repossessed 6 ambulances from a company that went out of business. The Monterrey Club bought them for $6,000.00.
After a bit of work, all six of the ambulances have made it to Bob White’s house in Brownsville from Alamo. They have been turned over to Monterrey and distributed to three communities near Monterrey.
Trujillo, Honduras
Tom Plumb transferred his membership from Middlebury, Vermont, in March, 2005, and our club adopted the Hands to Honduras effort.
2009 results
2009 projects that were completed (via Matching grant funding) this Rotary year include a new dam with pipeline for Barrio San Martin and power projects in Cunda, Moradel, La Brea, and Caribbean Mission. We also reforested the San Martin watershed put new rooves for the homes in Moradel.
Work crews visited Trujillo from February, 11, 2010-February 26, 2010. 28 volunteers from Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Massachusetts and Michigan joined the work crews. $88,800.00 was raised. They built 3 classrooms, started a 36,000 gallon water storage tank for Barrio Cristales, built a 51x75 ft. multi-purpose concrete playground at a school, wired five community buildings in the Pech Indian village, and planted 600 of the 1,000 trees in a watershed. Mary Curtis, a UTB professor and Historic Browsville Rotarian expanded a mobile library for elementary schools, wired the library for internet, and developed a distance learning program for Trujillo area teachers utilizing UTB professors. We were awarded a Matching Grant totaling $64,126.52 to build three water projects. If approved, the projects will begin this summer. Our club has provided $4,785.00 towards the Honduran efforts.
Also, the Honduran Humanitarian Aide Ambassador came to Port Isabel with Tom’s co-leader, Lincoln Oviedo.
Tom rebuilt his website as well: www.handstohonduras.com
Matamoras Orphanage
A new International project is our support for the Ciudad de los Ninos orphanage in Matamoras, Mexico.
2009 results
Past president Tom Plumb and past President Ralph Ayers attended the grand opening of the orphanage that will serve about 120 children.
$2,500.00 will be provided by our club to assist the orphanage in the 2010-2011 budget.
Each year at our Christmas party, club members bring gifts for a boy and a girl. This year they were provided to the orphanage.
Rotary Foundation
Jerry Adams is our Foundation Chair. We provided $5,000.00 to the annual fund of the Rotary Foundation $1,000.00 to Polio Plus.
2009 results
Via the Paul Harris Society:
Tom Plumb $1,000.00
Rick Ridolfi $1,000.00
Bob White $1,000.00
Donated with dues:
Traci Tousey $100.00
Ralph Ayers $100.00
John Reed $100.00
Tom Plumb $100.00
Challenge Funds:
Jacqui Dempsey $100.00
Jeff Church $100.00
Tom Plumb $1,100.00
Carolyn Hauschildt $100.00
Paul Cardile $40.00
Diana Delgado $20.00
Robert Rodriguez $20.00
Ken Irwin $20.00
Jerry Adams $60.00
Pam Dean $20.00
Bettina Tolin $20.00
This brings us to $5,000.00. Our pledge of $4,500.00 has been met.
Thanks to solicitation of spare change and more recently the raffling of wine donated by George and Ginny Riley each week….as well donations made by Rick, Roxanne (Tom’s match of Roxanne’s pledge was made to the Annual Fund) and Tom of $100.00 (matching Rick) each…we accomplished the $1,000.00 goal. We also provided support for a Matching Grant for District 5830’s efforts to provide a water filtration system for Barrio Cristales in Trujillo. Tom provided $504.00 in restricted giving for that project which has been approved. We will also receive $4,000.00 in RF credit for our contribution to the Monterrey MGA.
So, to date we have given or pledged $5,000.00 for the annual fund, $1,000.00 to Polio Plus and $4,504.00 in restricted giving totaling $10,107.50. Additional restricted funding was provided by us forthe Honduras MGA.
We receive a lot of funding from the Foundation…..but the Foundation cannot provide these funds without our support. We do our share.
International Service
Hands to Honduras $4,785.00
Monterrey Grant $4,000.00
Monterrey trip/entertainment $1,279.70
Matamoras Orphanage $2,500.00 (put off til 2010-2011)
Total $12,564.70